The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-06-08
AN EMINENT SUCCESS,
IS COZ. a. ], swEENnY,s PROCESS
For Melting Iron With Natural Gas In q
CupOla-Thirty'avs Hundred Weight Of
Iron Reduced to Liquid In a Few Min.
ptss-suoSssstul Test Yesterday,

ptea-suSSesstul EeAt heAtef9AEs
The process recently invented by Col.
A. ], Sweeney, Of this city, for melting
iron in a CupolR with natural gas rs fuel,
which was referred to some time ago In
the INERLLIaBScER, and has since caused
some discussion in the newspapers and
Anongiron workers, received q pretty &C.
we're practical test yesterday, $500 pounds
Of metal being melted in q Cupolg, This
was but the third experiment ever made
With the process, and Col, Sweeney Ger.
taInly demonstrated that he had achieved
the end for which he was working,
Iron men In talking Of the invention
have all expressed their doubt Of the ulti,
mate success Of Col. sweeuey's expert,
ments, for the reason that they thought
he would have to use some coke or other
material to bear up the burden OF the
metal. One Of the greatest advantages OF
the process Ia that It does not require any
material Of any kind TO bear up the iron.
The pigs Of iron are placed upon and in
contact with the bottom Of the Cupola,
Day before yesterday q similar test was
made,
ARLT IN NINETEEN MINUTES,
at that time 1000 weight Of iron was
melted In nineteen minutes, The iron
began to melt In three minutes after the
blast was put on. Yesterday the melting
process was not timed, II was only a few
minutes alter the blR0t was turned In un.
til the molten metal began to appear,
One Of the beauties OF the cupOls now
used Ia that 1t ia furnished with q number
Of small peep holes in which are set mica,
through which the interior Of the iusnsce
can be inspected with ease.
The eupola differs from the ordinary one
In having connected at the base two large
chambers into which the blast enters,
meeting the gas there. The gas and air
become thoroughly incorporated and pass
into the bass OF tho tower or Cupola,
where perfect combustion takes place.
The molten iron also runa into these
Chsmbers and Ia there kept in q liquid
state,
When the attempt was first made yes.
terday some difficulty was experienced,
and the source Of the trouble could not be
guessed at frat. A little experimenting
showed that the pressure Of the gas was
too great, and the flame was forced past
the point where 1t was deaired 10 apply
the heat, The pressure was slightly re-
duced, and the work was quickly and
nicely done.
TWO SLIGHT MIsHAPs.
The cupola man went to the top Of the
tower TO light the gas early In the expert
ment, and q little gas having accumulated
there, it blazed up suddenly, burning him
painfully but not seriously, on the backs
Of the hands.
Later, when the melted metal was
drawn of, the plug waS not pulled out
soon enough, and when 1t was pulled It
brought the "breast" with It, and guam
tity Of the iron was spilled on the floor.
or course this accident was Just as likely
to happen with coke as fuel, and no Beri-
Gus injury was done. Some boards lying
near caught fire and blazsd up, but the
iron was Don stopped and tho blaze ex-
tinguished,
The test was Witnessed by several prac.
teal iron men, and all these pronounced
1t q gratifying success. Their admiration
OF the process was enthusiastic. The
iron was pronounced smoother as It
poured than that melted in the old way,
and the waste was estimated at practically
nothing at all.
ITS WIDE APPLICABILITY.
The Caysst for q patent on the process
filed by Col. Sweeney at Washington has
five claims. The process isappllcableto the
melting Of pig iron in cupolas in steel
plants, for use in the conyerters, as well as
to melting metals Of all kinda in large
quantities In ioundrles or elsewhere.
The advantages claimed for the process
are numeroua. In the fret place, 1t will
produce purer iron. The great difficulty
In melting iron with coke for conversion
into steel is that 1t acquires in melting
quantities Of sulphur and other impuri-
ties. With Ras this difficulty 10 ohviated.
In the second place there isa waste,
ct 10 per cent. Ia melting Iron
with coke in q Cupola. This waste Is abso-
lutely avoided by the use Of gas.
A third great advantage o. is that no clean.
Ing Of the cupolR Is necessary, aud the
does not have to be taken out.
The fire brick bed IL only renewed when
II burns out. The iron as itmelta runs of
into the Rdi dining hot chambers.
Another advantage is the %Cheapness OF
the fuel. The cost per ton Of iron Tor coke
Is on an average Is cents. The gas COM
charge the nail manufacturers q
cents q keg-50 cents a ton-tor gas used
In the three processes through which iron
passes before It is finished as nails. The
for the one process oil melting iron
would doubtless be much lower.
The steel workers and operators, and
indeed all who ore interested in iron
working, have watched the progress OF
Sweeney'a experiments with
great interest, and he Is the recipient OF
numerous congratulations on the fnAI and
unequivoCal success Of his process. 1t is
big thing for him, and q bigger thing for
the metal Industries Of the world,
CHAMPION oArsman OF America, John
Teemer, endorses st. Jacobs OIL for mus
Dular pains.